Life Neverending
by sgpcat17
Summary: Nico di Angelo killed himself after he told Percy that he was gay. Now, almost 18 years later, he finds himself back at camp Half-Blood, and he's still 17-going-on-18. Since he "left", it's changed there, and he finds that he is now accepted more than ever before. But could all that change when he's assigned to go on a potentially lethal quest?
1. Prologue

I died a long time ago. Like, what feels like roughly a thousand years ago - or more. Since my death, I've been living in the Underworld with my father, Hades, my sister, Bianca, and my step mother, Persephone.

I still have no idea, even after all this time, exactly how this strang phenomenon happened - how I died and came back, how my entire life changed in the matter of a few short weeks - I still don't know.

All that I know is that suddenly, one day I was alive again, breathing cool, crisp air instead of the scorching heat of Hell. I have no idea what happened to bring me back here, and no idea why, either. I'm not telling when it happened - I'll leave that up for you to decide - and I can't tell you how, what, why, or who.

But what I can and will do is tell you my story.


	2. Chapter 1

This entire thing began when I killed myself. Not long after I told Percy that I loved him and had had a crush on him for years, nearly everyone started bullying me, making fun of me and taunting me. I was even nicknamed "Lover Boy".

All because Percy and Annabeth told Grover, and Grover told Coach Hedge, and Coach Hedge told the Aphrodite cabin, and... Well, you get the idea. Once everyone knew that I was gay, almost everyone hated me.

Almost. Jason, Annabeth, Percy, Hazel, Frank, and Will were still my friends.

But even they couldn't give me as much support as I needed, because everyone else kept on pushing me down.

The others all made my whole life miserable. Well, more miserable than was usual, at least. I became severely depressed. I started cutting myself, and I didn't get help. Will noticed the scars and tried to help me, but I just avoided him. I didn't want help, and I guess I never saw how much he cared.

After about six months, I felt like I had no purpose left, no options. The weight of the world seemed to be hanging from my shoulders, and I couldn't face it. So one day, I just gave up. When I was alone in my cabin, I grabbed my knife of Stygian Iron and stuck it into my neck. Then I drifted away until I was simply... gone.

Eventually, after a time that I prefer not to mention, I made it to the Underworld. Most of what I remember is talking with Bianca about my troubled past life. The Underworld was bearable, but only because of her - well, and the fact that my father is the King of the dead. He let me stay in his castle with Bianca and Persephone. For a while, I felt as free as a bird, and my depression almost entirely disappeared. For two years straight, I didn't cut even once.

But, as always, that happy ending didn't last for very long. After a couple years of being free and hapy, my depression returned. It started coming back in short bursts, and every period of depression lasted longer than the last. I started to cut myself again (not like that did any good, because I was already dead and the wounds just healed right up). Then, because that didn't work, I just gave up on absolutely everything and ended up laying in bed everyday, staring at the ceiling, not moving, just thinking and keeping to myself.

But a few important things did happen.

While I was there, I was able to reflect on what I'd done wrong in life, and I was able to forgive all the people who had done me wrong. But I couldn't forget their actions, or the anger, the lies, the horrors of my past life.

And because of those memories, I couldn't just start anew. Those excruciatingly painful memories stayed with me and stay with me, and I don't think that anything at all will ever take them away, or even partially dull their pain.

But even with those memories, I can survive and put on a fake smile for as long as needed, because I can press them down. I can keep those memories at bay just like I can my feelings.

Today's different, though. Though the same memories circle through my head and burn into my eyes just like they do nearly every morning, my surroundings are different. The ceiling I stare up at isn't brightly lit with the flames of the abyss, and there are no screams surrounding me. The tortured sounds of souls aren't ringing in my ears - instead, shouts of joy ring through the air, and laughter bubbles up from outside.

I open my eyes and stare up at the ceiling hanging dark and low, no more than a few feet above my head. My hands are clammy instead of burning hot, and I'm freezing cold. The world around me is familiar from years and years ago, and the scent of drying grass floats on the breeze.

I'm not in the Underworld.


	3. Chapter 2

When I sit up and look around, I notice that almost everything is different. The cabin is not the same, not like how it was whenever I was here before. It's painted in Monster High colors - pink, blue and black. Cartoon skulls are taped up all over the walls. Striped wallpaper lines the inside of the cabin, and casket shaped lockers hand from the ceiling next to each bed. Hades' offering altar is the only unchanged thing in the entire room.

I swing my feet off of the bed and look around. I'm wearing my aviator jacket, silver chain bracelets, a skull necklace and ring, and black jeans with safety pins stuck in them. That's what I was wearing when I died.

I slip down to the floor from the top bunk of a bunk-bed and slink into the shadows in a corner, wary of my surroundings. I need to be careful, because I don't know who lives here now - and I need to find out. I hide in the shadows, waiting for someone or something to enter the cabin.

I don't have to wait long.

After only a few minutes, a crowd comes rushing in, laughing and talking loudly. A flock of girls rush past , accompanied by a few boys, all of whom look either severely goth or emo.

I don't spend long looking at faces, but instead scan my surroundings for any signs of danger. At the same time, I take the opportunity to keep observing.

Most of the beds are either all black or Monster High themed. The only bed that looks different is one stuck in the back corner. It's pitch black, silver, and green, with snakes and embroidered silver lettering on it. Slytherin themed.

Nobody seems to take any notice of me, so I stay there in the shadows, observing. The girls all go into the bathroom to change, while the boys stay in the main part of the cabin and undresses. I cast my eyes down while they change, looking up only occasionally, then quickly forcing myself to look back down, filled with shame. When the kids are done, they climb into bed. For a few minutes, whispers and giggles run rampant through the room, then eventually patter out, replaced by slow breathing and snores.

After I'm sure that everyone is fast asleep and that nobody will notice me, I begin to creep out of the shadows, towards the door. The door is black with a strange pink design on it. I grab the knob and slip outside, unnoticed.

The night air is cool, but not cold, and the moon is about a third of the way up in the sky, shining a brilliant white. I creep from shadow to shadow, taking a quick look around.

Not much has changed at all. The cabins all look roughly the same on the outside, and the Big House is still painted white. The pavilion still has worn wooden benches. The forest looks a bit denser, but other than that it hasn't changed.

I know that a large amount of time has passed though, because there were children of Hades that looked to be eighteen or nineteen in my cabin. Not to mention that my cabin's interior has changed quite a bit.

I'm beginning to creep back to the cabin when suddenly an icy-cold hand on my shoulder stops me in my tracks. I stiffen and turn around, ready to fight if necessary.

Standing before me is one of the boys I saw earlier. His face is cast in shadows, and I can't make out his features all that easily. His eyes find mine and I stand motionless, ready to either bolt or strike.

The boy narrows his eyes slightly and says, "I noticed you earlier, back in the shadows. You're pretty good at hiding." He narrows his eyes a bit more and cocks his head slightly. "Come with me, brother." He says, then turns on his heel and briskly walks away without a glance back.

For some reason unknown to myself, I take the risk and follow him.


	4. Chapter 3

We reach the weapons shed and I hesitantly follow the boy inside. I stand in the doorway, tense, as he clears off a bench and sits down. After a moment, her motions to me to join him and I slowly creep inside, wary that we're surrounded by weapons and that I don't know if I can trust this boy or not.

As soon as I sit down, the boy starts to talk.

"Nico," the boy says. He knows me. Somehow.

"Who are you? And how do you know my name?" I ask suspiciously.

"My name, I will tell you later. I know your name because... Well, I've heard of you. Everyone's taught about the famous who came from their respective cabin."

Famous. The word rings in my ears. Famous, famous, famousfamousfamous. I shake my head. "You can't be referring to me," I say. "I'm not famous. I'm hated."

"Not really. Not anymore, at least. I heard that you weren't... Um, all that popular when you... Left, but now you're more like a legend. The boy who killed himself after a... Um, unfortunate incident." The boy says, seemingly nervous. He gets up and starts to pace.

I wait silently as he continues. "You're in the history books, you know."

I interrupt him. "History books? What history books?"

"'The Modern Legends'. It's one of the books that we have to read for school. We're required to take classes now. We don't just train, we learn about our past, science that the mortals use, math, music. Camp Half-Blood is kind of like a immortal college now. Kind of. Kids here start learning at age six and stop at age sixteen. After that, we're treated as adults and can do whatever we want. Also, it's a bit like Camp Jupiter. We have family cabins now, back where a part of the woods used to be. They started construction on those maybe... ten years ago? I forget."

I narrow my eyes. Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter are becoming more similar? Well, that's surprising. And wait, how did he know that I didn't already know those things...?

The boy keeps talking, ignorant of my suspicion. "Anyways, kids can choose whether they want to stay at home or in cabins, and they can switch back and forth if they want. Plus, once anyone is ten years old they can go to Camp Jupiter and take classes there. It's not that bad. I've been to Camp Jupiter twice, and they treat visitors like family. They do things weird there, though."

I nod. "I know." I say. "I've been to Camp Jupiter before."

"Oh. Yeah, of course you have. Sorry." The boy's face grows red.

For a few moments, neither of us speak, but just fidget in awkward silence.

After a couple minutes in which you'd be able to hear a pin drop, the boy turns away and starts to rummage around a bit. When he finds what he's looking for, he grabs it with both hands and, grunting with effort, pulls out a mirror. Then turns to face me.

"You asked about my name... Nico." He says nothing else, and I sit there for a moment, confused and clueless.

"... Nico what?" I ask.

"My name. It's Nico."

"So...?" I ask. Lots of people are named Nico.

"Um. Because -" He lets out a frustrated sigh, unable to explain with words. "Will you just look into the mirror?!"

I roll my eyes as he turns on a singular light bulb, then turn to face the shining, reflective surface. What I see nearly gives me a heart attack.


	5. Chapter 4

We're identical. Completely identical. Every hair, every freckle (not that there are a ton of those), every speck of color in the irises of our eyes.

I stumble backwards and yelp in surprise, tripping over a pile of weapons. I slam my hand down to break my fall and feel a knife slice into my palm. I turn to pick it up, and see that it's Piper's knife, Katropis.

Strange.

I pick up the knife anyway and hold it out, facing the boy, who seems to be virtually the same as me.

"Oh, come on!" He says. "Just because we look alike you think I'm going to hurt you?"

Now that I think about it, our voices sound the same.

"I can explain." He sits down. "Okay, well, I'd assume that you already know that you killed - well, stabbed yourself to death right?" How does he know that for sure? "Well, apparently your body got taken out of camp and dumped in a stream, and a scientist found your body in that stream, only a few hours after you'd... Um, gone." He takes a deep breath. "He took samples of your cells and somehow cloned them. I am - I am the clone that he created."

I scoff. "Really? You expect me to believe that? This is just - just a freak incident!"

The boy continues on like I didn't say anything, "He raised me as his own until I was eight, and eventually told me about my cloning. You can imagine how disturbing that was. Knowing that you were born because some other kid that you never knew died? Well, after hearing that news, I ran away. I didn't know that I was a demigod, but because I was, I ended up here, guided by intuition, I guess. When we learned about Nico - well, you - I kept the image that was shown to us in mind, because I looked extremely similar to the picture." He gulps nervously. "Now, here you arrive...! I'm your clone, and something's going to happen if the camp sees you, I mean, you've been dead for, like, eighteen years - "

"Eighteen years?" I cut him off. I was almost eighteen when I killed myself.

"Yes, and it would be strange if somehow there suddenly was two eighteen-year-old identical Nicos walking around."

"No." I gasp. "You don't get it... All my old friends..." I groan. "Oh no..." I slam my palm into my forehead, grabbing fistfuls of my own hair, and slump against the wall, feeling desolate.

"Oh..." My clone mumbles. "I'm sorry. Can you name some names for me? I can tell you how old they are now if that would help."

I sigh, holding my head and sliding down the wall to the floor. "Sure. Whatever. Like it matters... Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, Grover Underwood, Will Solace -"

"Will Solace?" The guy asks, appalled.

"What about Will? What's wrong with being his friend?"

"Oh, um, nothing. He's just not very... Normal. At least, not for an Appollo kid."

"As in...?" I ask, confused.

"Never mind. You'll see. " He clears his throat. "Um, well, anyways, Percy's thirty-nine now, and Annabeth is, um, thirty-seven, if I remember correctly. Grover is thirty-eight, and Will's thirty-six."

"Great." I respond, angry with myself for making the choices I made earlier in my life, like drowning myself. "Just great."

"Sorry, man..." He says, clasping his hands behind his back and bouncing nervously on the balls of his feet.

I fire up immediately. "Don't say your sorry! Don't you dare say that you're sorry, you idiot!" I explode, jumping up. "Just shut up! Don't you know anything?! It's my own damn fault!" I slam my fist into the wall with full force, breaking the skin on my nuckles. "Why did this have to happen to me? Why!?" I scream at the ceiling, punching the wall again.

My clone lays a hand on my shoulder and starts to say something, but I don't hear him. Instead I whip around and slam my fist into his jaw. He falls down and I kick him in the ribs, then run out the door and race away into the forest to the sounds of his yelps and screams. The plant life withers away beneath my feet as I run aimlessly, carelessly tripping over rocks and stumbling over fallen tree branches. The rocks crack at an alarming rate and the ground starts to split open in my wake, revealing a long ditch that opens wider by the minute.

Tears blind me as I run, and my gasping sobs wrack me, making it hard to breathe. My racing heart patters with a mix of anger, pain, sorrow, loss, and self-hate. I can't think as my mind jumps back and forth from panic to anger and back again.

I don't stop running, even once I've reached the boundary. I just run along it, hiding in the shadows as I try to outrun my sorrow and fears. I can't stop running, even though I know that it won't really help me at all, especially if I break a wrist or - A voice smaps me out of my thoughts.

"Oh my Gods. Nico, is that you?... What's the matter?"

I freeze in my tracks, not turning around, afraid of what I know I will inevitably have to face. It's a voice that I recognize, but it sounds older. Rougher.

I hear steps crunching over the leaves of the forest floor, coming closer, clooser, but I still don't move even a muscle, hoping that the person coming towards me will think that I'm just one more shadow among a forest of others.

My attempted ruse fails, though.

"Nico? Come on. I know it's you. What's wrong?"

I can't stand not knowing for sure, though, and suddenly wheel around to see someone staring at me, only a few feet away, his mouth gathered into a frown. His beard is a startling blue, almost assuredly dyed, and he is slightly taller than he used to be when I knew him. He's also more well built, and is wearing thick plastic horn-rimmed glasses. A simple silver wedding band surrounds the base of the ring finger of his left hand. But there's no mistaking the wary, careful, sea-green eyes that stare out from the depths of his weathered face.

It's Percy Jackson.


	6. Chapter 5

"Nico?" Percy repeats, staring at me. "Hello?"

I don't answer. It hurts to see Percy like this, so worried, so much older than I currently am. I bite my lip and look away, stepping back a few paces.

Percy steps forward a bit, following me. "Hey. Why are you acting like this, buddy?"

I bite my lip harder, drawing blood. It tastes like iron and salt.

Percy purses his lips. "You've been crying. Come on, man. Tell me what's up, will you?" He places a hand on my shoulder, and I shove it off forcefully, not wanting to be touched. I can't find my voice.

After a few moments of tense silence, Percy steps away, threatening to leave. "Okay, fine then. Don't talk." He turns around and starts to slowly meander away.

I clear my throat. "Why should I talk to you? My whole life's already been messed up enough as it is. It's not like talking to you would help me!"

Percy turns back to me. "What? What do you mean by that?"

I attempt step back more, only to find a tree pressed up against my scrawny back. When did that get there? "My whole life's been screwed over! I fucking hate myself, can't you tell!? Nobody can help me! Nobody!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Percy's bewildered. "You've never talked to me like this since-" He abruptly cuts himself off. "Wait. Where are your glasses? And your cap? And why are you wearing goth stuff?"

I stare him down as he starts to back away. "What? You think that I'm insane, do you?! Well, do you? DO YOU?!"

"No..." Percy gulps, backing up more. "No."

I can't control my hysteria any longer. "What? You think death can stop me? Hell, no! No! I don't give a fuck if you think so! So what, my life's been ruined? It was ruined before I was born! That's why I killed myself, you asshole! I've lost everything!" I can tell that I'm ranting, but it's hard to stop. I haven't let my pent-up anger out for years.

Percy stops and stands stock still. "Killed yourself?" He whispers.

"Yes! And I'm back again, just to have my entire life screwed up by the Gods once again! The world hates me, and I hate it!" I burst into hysterical laughter, then stop abruptly. "I hate the world! Go away! I HATE YOU!" I run forward, smashing into Percy and sending him sprawling. He grunts in pain as I pass him, but still manages to reach out and grab my ankle. I fall forwards, hearing something snap, but not feeling the pain I should have felt in my ankle.

Percy sits up as I lay there, almost unconscious. "Oh my Gods. What happened to him?" I hear him whisper as my vision fades to darkness once more.


	7. Chapter 6

I wake up to the hustle and bustle of the infirmary, with people crowded around me. My eyesight's blurry, but as it slowly clears, I'm able to make out faces of the people I used to know. All of them look older, but I'm still able to somehow connect the faces of the adults in front of me to the teenagers I left behind: Annabeth Chase, Grover Underwood, Jason Grace, and - of course - Percy.

There are others there, too. People I don't know, who look to be teenagers, and some who may have been small children when I left, who are now in their twenties. It's strange to know that my friends' little sisters and brothers are now older than I myself am.

As I wake up, everyone around me lets out a collective relieved breath, and smiles gather on the faces surrounding me. I look around in silence and prop myself up into a sitting position.

Annabeth - at least, I think it's Annabeth - is the first to speak. "Nico?" She whispers, her wavering voice sounding feeble. "Is it really you?"

I stare back in silence, shocked at her transformation. She now has short purple spiky hair, and she's wearing jeans and a tank-top. She's wearing colored contacts that make her eyes sea-green like Percy's. Her hand is squeezing the shoulder of a young girl in front of her, who has long, blond hair and grey eyes. The girl looks nearly identical to the Annabeth I first met, but she has a nose like Percy's, and her facial structure is slightly more anguar than Annabeth's. She must be their daughter - Percy's wedding ring must be a sign of his bondage to Annabeth.

I gulp, my mouth dry. "I - I..." My lip begins to quiver a bit. I gulp again. "Annabeth?"

She smiles. "You remember me!" Wiping a tear from her face, she repeats, "You remeber me."

I nod hesitantly and say, "I'm Nico DiAngelo."

Annabeth can't hold it back any longer. She breaks down sobbing, smiling as her mascara runs down her face, leaving gray marks. She bends down to give me a hug. She's pulling back when the chaos starts to form.

"Hey!" A shout rings through the room, stoping the busy activity in its tracks. Someone shoulders his way through the group clustered around my bed, pusing his way to the front.

The man standing there is so tall that he has to stoop under the low ceiling. He's wearing mainly black leather, and has a half-shaven head, one half gellled up into a triangular shapes mohawk. His hair is dyed black as the night. Numerous piercings are placed in his lips, ears, and nose, most of them studded. His eyes are a shockingly clear blue.

My immediate first thought is that he's hot. Hotter than Hell. And my second thought is that he's too old for me. He must be at least twice my own age.

He smiles as he sees me and bends down to give me a hug. "Nico."

I tense up at the sudden contact, and he seems to notice, because he steps back after less than a second.

"Well," He laughs in his gravelly voice, "you haven't changed very much." He smiles again, revealing pearly white teeth that are perfectly aligned.

He knows me, he hugged me and said that I haven't changed very much. That means he knew me from when I was originally alive.

But I don't remember him.

I move my head back a little, searching his face for clues of his identity. I shake my head a little and lick my parched lips. I bite my bottom one, chewing on it from nervousness.

The smile that was on the man's lips falls away. "Don't you remember me?" He asks, his eyes pleading.

I shake my head, no.

He bites his lips and looks down at the floor. "You don't." He turns his face away slightly, trying to conceal tears. After a moment, he turns back to me. "I can't believe it. I know I've changed, but..." He closes his eyes, then re-opens them. "I heard you were here... I thought you'd remember me." He pauses for a moment before continuing. "If I say my name, will you remember me?"

I chew at the corner of my mouth, making it feel raw "I might."

His beautiful eyes bore into me. He says in a rough voice, staring at the floor. "I know you won't believe me." He lifts his eyes to my face. "I'm Will..." He gulps, "Will Solace."

A singular memory just has time to register in my mind, one of eyes strikingly similar to the man's currently staring down at me, and then I faint.


	8. Chapter 7

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p style="max-height: 999999px;""... I didn't do anything!"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Nothing? How can you say that, Will?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Because I - I didn't!"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;"I wake up to the sound of fighting voices, a girl's and a boy's. I'm not sure, but if I had to guess, I'd say that it's probably Annabeth and Will. I recognize his low, gravelly voice. I don't open my eyes, though. I just lie there listening in./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Of course you did! He fainted because of you!"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Because of me?! I just asked if he remembered me, and I told him my name!"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Yes! You did, and because of that he fainted! Have you no recollection of what you and him used to be to each other?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Annabeth!" He sounds appalled. "How could you say such a thing!?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Because I -" Annabeth continues, sounding exasperated, her voice clipped. "What?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;"I hear a defiant voice near my head and resist the temptation to open my eyes. "Mom, can you please stop fighting with Will? It's embarrassing."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;"Annabeth sighs. "No." Her voice becomes noticeably sharper. "We can't afford for you to make patients faint. Drew already told me that it's not safe for someone like Nico to do that. His mental state isn't correct, and he's injured."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;"Will fights back. "But all I did was-"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Shut up. You're not doing any good for yourself here." Annabeth's voice is like acid, it sounds so angry./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Mom!" The boy sounds like he's hissing through his teeth. "Seriously! People are staring."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Marsh..." Annabeth's voice sounds menacing, it's so laced with warning and anger./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Annabeth, really, I didn't do anything! Stop blaming me for him passing out! I can't help that he didn't remember me, I can't help that it was a shock for him!"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Fine. But I'm warning you - if you cause him any more harm..." The threat is left hanging./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Mom. Will you emplease /emstop?" The boy, Marsh, asks, his voice thick with embarrassment and bitterness./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I will now." I hear her high heels click as she starts to walk away, the sound getting softer by the second, and then she speaks again. "If you do anything else to Nico, anything, I swear to the Gods that you're going to wish you were dead."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;"Silence ensues, and the sense of not knowing becomes too much. I open my eyes./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;"Will is facing away from me, towards the wall. His shoulders are hunched like the weight of the world is resting on his shoulders. I can clearly see the outlines of the muscles through his skin-tight leather jacket. If I didn't know he was so much older that I, I might have wolf-whistled. As it is though, I just sit quietly, observing./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;"After a moment or two, he brings his hand up to his forehead and swipes the hair out of hie eyes. He lets out a pained sigh and starts to walk away. I look after him, as he slowly meanders down the hall, and then decide to call out to him. He still doesn't know that I'm awake./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Will." I say softly. Just loud enough that I know he will hear me./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;"He pauses and turns around. Seeing that I'm awake, he starts to walk towards me, then starts to run. A smile is plastered upon his face. I smile back as he nears./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Nico," He says. "Nico..."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;"I motion to him to sit dow, and he does, pulling a rickety chair out from beside my bed. He turns the chair so it faces me and reaches out, as if to touch my face. Then he pulls his hand back, as if thinking twice./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;"I stare up at him. For a few moments, neither of us speak. Then, will breaks the silence./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Nico." He says my name with a little gasp, and I shiver at the pleasure of hearing my name be said like that. "I thought I'd never see you again."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;"I blink. "I missed you." I open my arms for a hug and he obliges, leaning in and wrapping his arms around me. Will is warm, and he smells like violets. I lean my head on his shoulder as we hold each other, then pull back./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;"I take Will's hand in my own. "I missed you." I repeat. "A lot. I missed everyone, but I missed you the most of all."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;"Will's eyes tear up. "Eighteen years. It's been eighteen years." Suddenly, he pulls back. "Do you realize how much pain this caused me? Eighteen years. I was alone. You were gone. Not just gone, but gone for good - dead... I thought I'd never see you again! Do you know what terrors I went through? I cut myself. I nearly killed myself - twice! I - I -I..."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;"I say nothing as he starts so cry./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Nico... I..." He stands up abruptly, then sits back down, frustrated. "Shit. I can't explain anything!"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;"I gulp. Should I fight back?/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;"One minute passes by. Then another. And another. Neither of us say anything./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;"I cough, unsettled. I want to cry. Life was so mean to me my entire time while I was on the Earth during my first life. I nearly never had enough of a good time to call it 'enjoyable', and everyone seemed to be afraid of me. Not to mention that what I am would not have been accepted in my original time period - the 1940s. The only time I was ever truly happy was when I was with Will./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;"I'm not sure, but I think that people are still scared of me, and I hate that feeling. That feeling that I have enough power that I could rule other people through fear alone. I wonder if that's how my father feels, or if he enjoys his power, his ability to hurt others and make them afraid of him./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;"Nobody has seemed to notice, though, that I hate myself and that I'm afraid of what I am. Nobody seems to ever notice, probably because they think that something like that is impossible. I'm not normal, though. Anything that is impossible for others isn't necessarily impossible for me - it might just be a bit harder than most things are./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;"I reach up and feel my pulse, trying to calm my racing, frustrated, wounded heart. It doesn't do any good, but I can't think of anything else to do at the moment./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;"I know that I can't undo what I did, I can't undo killing myself. Also, I can't just become a 30-something-year-old. That'd be pretty much impossible. I've lost my friends due to the separation of our ages, and it's my own fault. Purely my own fault - nobody else's./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;"Finally I speak. "Will... I'm sorry. I guess..." I clear my throat. "At the time, I didn't know what to do... I'm sorry."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;"Will gives me a frustrated look. "I wish I could understand..." He growls and springs up, then races out of the room./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px;"I stare after him, my heart ready to curl up in a dark corner and die./p  
/div  
/div  
/div 


	9. Chapter 8

I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I know, I'm being rudely shaken awake. I mumble as my shoulders are shaken, to the sound of a laugh from someone else.

I ache. All over. My shoulders, my back, my head, my legs, and, most importantly, my heart.

I force myself to get up, though. I can't just take the escape route from the pain this time - it doesn't work that way, it doesn't fix anything. If anything, the pain from living is nothing, not when compared to the pain of having to think about your sins for all eternity.

At least I've learned my lesson.

I blink my eyes open, seeing light gray eyes right in front of me. I jerk back in surprise, hitting my head on the headboard of the infirmary bed that I've spent the last few - hours, days? - in. Immediately, a red-hot pain spreads through the back of my skull. "Are you kidding me!" I shout, then moan in pain and frustration. "Fuck this asshole-istic shit!"

The girl who was hovering over me gulps, then says, "Are you okay?"

I feel like yelling back, O_kay? You think I'm okay?! Hardly. _But instead, I just clear my throat and say, "Yeah."

The girl smiles. "That's good."

I push myself up into a sitting position, my throbbing head resting against the cold stone wall. My ankle doesn't hurt anymore; It's gone numb. I wish I could say the same of my head, which feels like it's about to burst open.

Suddenly, I realize that I don't know this girl. "Who are you?" I ask, blinking pained tears from my eyes.

"I'm Whisp." She replies in her light, feathery voice. "Whisp Waterwalker. I'm an Apollo kid, and I work here at the infirmary." She stands up. "I guess you could call me a nurse." She adds, as an afterthought.

"Okay. Well. I'm Nico DiAngelo. My Dad's Hades. I died and came back."

"Yeah." Whisp replies. "We've actually had quite a bit of that over the past few weeks."

"Really?" I ask, surprised.

"No." Whisp says, grinning. "You're really gullible."

I bite back the worst of my sarcastic humor. "You don't say."

Whisp pulls a face. "Aw, come on. Can't take a joke now, can we?" She laughs, her voice lingering like the phantom of a summer breeze, there, but not, merely a memory hanging onto the window of a fresh thought's home.

I blink. "Do you know where Will is?"

"You mean Solace?"

I nod in reply. "Yeah. Will Solace."

"Mmph..." Whisp replies, thinking hard. "I think he's at the gazebo. If you're up to it, you can go there for breakfast instead of having me bring some to you."

I nod again. "I think I'll do that." I swing me legs off of the bed and shakily rise to my feet. My ankle isn't just numb like I'd originally thought: It's completely healed. Tentatively, I step forwards, then start walking towards the exit, planting my feet down more surely with every step.

I pause by the exit for a moment before stepping outside. I turn to thank Whisp, but she's already gone.

Her name really does suit her.

...

"Will?" I ask, calling out before I've even completely reached the gazebo. "Will?"

I see a lone figure clad in black stand up and hurriedly walk away from the gazebo. Will.

I test my weight once more on my ankle, then start running. Thankfully, my ankle holds up, not causing any pain at all. I chase after Will as quietly as I can, eventually catching up to him.

As I near him, Will abruptly stops and turns. I can see the pain shining in his beautiful eyes, as clearly outlined as a blue flower in a field of white ones.

"Will," I start, but he cuts me off.

"No, Nico. I can't talk. Not here, not now. Just... Just give me a while, okay? I need to think this through."

"Think what through?" I ask, starting to feel anger bubble up from the depths of my scarred heart, yet at the same time nearly ready to cry.

Will just shakes his head and turns away. "Everything."


	10. Chapter 9

_Wide eyes stare down at me, bright ones that seem to be able to work their way past my facade of toughness, drifting on the ocean of me feelings. Eyes that are able to tumble down the waterfall of my mind and plunge into the darkest, deepest pit of my emotions. A pit where my insecurities run rampant, obliterating all other thought and feeling. Eyes that are able to see who I really am. Eyes that know me._

_I feel lips press against mine and become acutely aware of the space between my body and his, a space that's closing quickly. A toung runs along my bottom lip and I nearly open my mouth, but then begin to pull away, afraid of it all - it's just happening so fast. I step back more, but he keeps following me, matching ever step I take backwards with a step of his own going forwards. _

_I open my mouth to speak and the lips ram up against mine again, with enough brute force to leave bruises. I gasp from the sudden impact, but don't pull away. I let him come closer, closer, closer until he's right up against me. I reach my hands up and run them through his light golden hair, sighing from the pleasure of it all. _

_A toung once again swipes along my bottom lip, and this time I open up, letting him poke his toung in and explore the cavities of my mouth. He tastes like browned sugar, sweet and tangy at the same time. I don't want the kiss to end, but have to breathe, so I pull back again, grab a quick breath, go back in for another searing kiss, and -_

Wake up suddenly to the screeching, insistent beep of my alarm clock. I roll onto my side and take a look at it, then slam my hand down on the off button.

I push myself up and swing my feet off of the bed, running my hands through my lank, greasy hair. I need a shower.

Looking around, I notice that everyone else is still asleep, undisturbed by the sound of my alarm. I jump to my feet and go around to the end of my bunk-bed, grabbing my navy blue towel. I bend down and pick up my shampoo, which smells like midnight blackberries. Standing up, I walk to the boy's bathroom and enter it, finding a shower stall.

I strip my clothing off and then hop into the shower, turning on the hot water and letting the spray wash down my shoulders and back.

I hate the dream. I hate it, how it repeats it's events over and over in my mind, every night. It won't go away, though. It's not just a dream - it's a memory. One of the best memories I have, but also one of the worst.

It's of my first kiss. One that I shared with Will Solace.

I wish that he weren't still angry with me. He's pissed. And it's not just hard for him, having me back here, alive, at Camp Half Blood, 18 years younger than him. It's hard for both of us. It's terror for me.

But I still am ready to forgive him. It's been 3 days. I can't bear the thought of him being so angry with me. I'm going to find him today, and talk with him. I can see that I have to tell him why. Why I did what I did, why I killed myself. I have to tell him. Even if I don't tell anyone else, I have to tell him.

I have to.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

The gazebo stands empty by the time I reach it, devoid of all life. I'm the first one to arrive, seeing as it's only 5:30 in the morning.

I stroll up to one of the tables and sit down, wishing for blueberry pancakes, fried "fake bacon" strips, and a blackberry-strawberry smoothie. I've decided to go vegetarian, so no meat.

I slowly chew the food, angry and depressed and nervous about what I'm about to do. As I eat, people slowly file in in ones and twos, filling up the seats one by one. Then, suddenly, a crowd comes rushing in, whooping and screaming. It's the Hades Cabin kids - I recognize their dark, goth-punk-and-emo style. With their outlandish colored hair, silver chains, and black clothing, they're not hard to recognize.

After a few hours, most of the camp has come in, eaten, and made their way out of the pavilion. I slink back into the shadows and hide, waiting for the one to arrive that I must speak with.

I wait.

And wait.

And wait...

Then, finally, a lone figure starts to meander down to the pavilion.

It's time.


	11. Chapter 10

"Nico, no! I-I won't accept that! You-you-you... You're lying! I don't believe you, you're-you must be lying!" Will backs away slowly, a glassy, pained expression carved into the features of his face.

I gulp. "But... It _is_ true." I push down my rising anger, caused by him even _thinking_ that I would lie. "I swear!"

"But... No, I can't - I won't believe this, Nico!" Will backs into a table and abruptly sits down.

I look down at the ground. "I couldn't take it... I just..." I break off into a frustrated sigh.

"You just?" Will asks incredulously. "You just what?"

"I JUST COULDN'T TAKE IT!" I explode. "All the teasing, the taunting. You know, they called me names. Loverboy. They called me that. You know what it feels like to be made fun of because - just, just because of who you are?! I couldn't take it. I hated them. I hated myself. I think that I _still_ hate myself -"

"Nico-" Will tries to cut me off, but I continue. I've been holding this rant inside for over a decade. It's time to let it out, time to scream so everyone can hear my pain.

It's time they understood.

"Nothing made me feel like a human, Will! I felt like I didn't belong. I felt like I didn't _belong_ here. I couldn't take it anymore. I - I - I still can't take it! You think it's easy for me? Well, NO, NO IT ISN'T! IT'S HARDER THAN SURVIVING HELL!" I've never screamed out like this before, never explained, and even though I want to stop, I can't. "I felt trapped here, I _still_ feel trapped, I felt and still feel like an animal! Nobody was - nobody _is_ like me. Nobody. NOBODY! I just... I couldn't... I can't!..." I falter, then strain my head back and stare at the ceiling and let out a feral, agonizing scream that seems to rip my vocal chords and tear my heart.

Will rushes forward. "Nico!" He grabs me by the hand and tugs, urging me to go with him. When I don't, he grabs my arm and hoists me up onto his back and runs into the forest. As he runs, I sob. I feel like a weakling, and I can't control myself. I scream again, this time not even hearing myself. Will stops running and sets me on the ground, and quickly talks as I sit whimpering.

"Nico, you don't get it." He rises from the crouch he was in. "I _do_ know how you feel. I know _exactly_ how you feel. Because I was teased and taunted, too. You know what they called me?" Starting to pace, he growls, "They called me Wimp. Gothboy. Night-lover. They said I was a poser, going Emo. But they never saw that I wasn't anything other than a depressed individual who could barely deal with the loss of the love of his life..."

Woah, woah, woah. Wait a moment. Did he just say the _love of his life_? Referencing _me_?

"They never saw that I just wanted to be alone," Will continues. "Or maybe they did, but they didn't care. A few times, I nearly killed myself. But then... Then Jack and Norton came into the camp. They were only 13, but they were already dating. People made fun of them, I saw it, but they just seemed to shrug it off. They made _jokes_ about themselves being gay. And soon enough, I was talking to them, asking for advice. They helped me see that I'm who I am, and that I can't change that no matter what, and that I shouldn't be ashamed or let the insults get to me. Soon enough, with them around, people started coming out, people who I had had _no idea_ were gay. Drew came out. So did Piper, and she said she was Bi. Emma came out as gay. Grover and Ben started dating. It was a whole new world here. I wasn't hated. Then they started with the schools and houses and the Minor god's cabins. Soon, it seemed like a fantasy world, but I still couldn't get over you. Some of the kids from Hades's cabin asked me out, some repeatedly, but I just couldn't get over you... And then you came back, and, and..."

I notice that tears are starting to gather in the corners of Will's eyes. I get up, and as the first tear starts to make it's way down his cheek, I wipe it away. My actions do justice in place of words. I stare up at Will, and he stares back, and then he kisses me.

It's soft, just a small peck of the lips, but somehow I know that with that small little action, he is saying that he still loves me.

And me kissing him back signifies that I still love him, too.

... .. .. ... .. ... ... ... ... .. ... ... ... .. ... ... .. . ... ... ..

I hang my head as we walk back towards the pavilion. I can't believe I was so stupid. I was so surprised about him being angry at me, and so caught up in my own emotions. Everything makes more sense now.

But it won't stay that way.

Will is still nearly twice my age, and nothing I do will be able to change that. I can't just magically become a 30-something-year-old, and Will can't just become a teenager again. I want to cry because of my frustration. I just want everything to be the same again, but because I killed myself, nothing will be.

It's nearly noon by now, and as Will and i near the pavilion, I see Percy and Annabeth wave us over. We join their table. I wish for a veggieburger and a cherry coke and they appear right in front of me. I cut off a piece of my burger and throw it in the offerings grate, then start to eat. As I wolf down the burger, people start talking. I hear Whisp's voice and glance up to see her standing by me.

"Can I sit here?" She asks, and I nod in response, my mouth too full to answer. She gracefully sits down and a salad appears on her plate. "Thanks." She says. I nod again and turn my attention back to my burger. After a moment, I'm tapped on the shoulder. I look up in surprise to see my clone standing there, and shrink back in fear.

My clone glares at me. "I have something to say to you. Will you come over here?"

I bit me lip, then stand up and follow him over to the side of the pavilion.

"I've been thinking about the predicament you were in when you arrived here, and I've decided to forgive you..." My clone mumbles. I'm about to respond when he suddenly continues, in a raised voice. "After I do this!" He raises a fist and slams it into my jaw. I jump back from the pain as shouts run through the room. I raise a hand to my cheek, which is already swollen, and grunt in pain from the slight contact.

"I suppose I deserved that," I manage to spit out, in spite of the searing pain.

"You think." My clone says, the words not a question. "I think you deserve worse, but I'm not a _mean person_."

I catch his meaning there, but say nothing in response, instead just nodding. Will comes over to me and lays a hand on my shoulder, shooting a _I-will-kill-you_ glare at my clone. I turn my head in his direction as we reach the table, just in time to see him cover up his smirk.

Now another problem has arisen: A clone who likes to hold grudges.

Great. Just great.


	12. Chapter 11

Throbbing pain. That's the first thing I notice as I wake up. Pain, red-hot and searing, emanating from my cheek and jaw, spreading up to my temple and extending down into my neck. I roll onto my back and raise a hand to touch my bruise. A huge lump has formed, bulging out from the side of my face. I attempt to move my jaw and immediately stop, due to the pain becoming even worse than before. Grunting with pain, I stand up. I'll have to go to the infirmary to get some ambrosia.

_Damn you, idiot,_ I think as I walk to the door. _You don't know your own strength._ I'm almost to the door when I notice that the sounds of snores aren't surrounding me like usual, and the beds lie empty. _Strange._ I grab the doorknob and twist it to open the door, but nothing happens. I twist it again. It still won't budge. Frowning in confusion and annoyance, I shove my weight against the door.

Nothing.

Great. So, somebody wants to trap me in here. Very funny, ha-ha.

But they forgot that I can shadow travel.

A patch of shadow lies just out of reach of the windows. I walk over to it and sink backwards, letting myself fall into the black chasm-like tunnel. Picturing the infirmary, I ride the current of darkness, appearing in the shadowed corner of the building in mere seconds. I let out the breath I was holding and walk up to the kid standing at the entrance.

"How may I help - oh" He says as I approach, noticing my swollen jaw. "Hey, Drew?"

A tall, stocky lady with dark hair, wide green eyes, and bright white horn-rimmed glasses hustles over. "Yeeeeesss?"

The kid motions to me and Drew says, "How did I know he was going to end up here again so soon?" She turns to me. "Hey, twerp!" She says in a friendly voice. "Long time no see. Come on in."

I stand in shock. _Drew_ works at the _infirmary_? _Drew_ has a _nice_ side...? _Drew _is being _nice_ to _me_?!

Well that's a change.

Nonetheless, I follow her inside and hoist myself up onto one of the tall benches. Drew turns away from me and digs around in a bag for something. After a moment, she says "Ha!" and turns to face me again, holding a sack of golden granola-like bars of ambrosia. "Here we are." She hands me a piece and I painfully open my mouth and force some of it down. It tastes like Persephone's homemade pomegranate-chocolate chip cookies.

The pressure that had been pressing on my jaw begins to lessen considerably. I open my mouth again and work my jaw, glad to be able to move it again. "Thanks." I mumble, and am about to hop down from the bench when Drew suddenly grabs my arm.

"Nico... I... I just want to say sorry."

I blink. She just _apologized_ to me? I answer back with, "Who are you and what have you done with Drew Tanaka?"

Drew laughs, then quickly sobers her emotions. "I've changed, Nico. But... I was jealous of you. You had a boyfriend, you and Will were an item. You didn't seem to be afraid that others knew you were gay, and... I wanted those things. Well," She amends, "I didn't want Will in particular. I just... Wanted to not be afraid of asking out a girl. I..."

I cut her off. "I get it. I know how it feels. But... Really? Did I not seem afraid? Because I was terrified. And for me, being with Will just kind of meant more hardship. I wanted to be with him, but I got teased so much, I... I couldn't stand it."

"Yeah." Drew nods. "Did... Was it because of me that you... That you committed... Suicide?" She asks nervously.

"Well, in part." I say. "But it wasn't entirely your fault. It's a thing of the past, though. Let's just... Forget it. Deal?"

Drew shakes her head. "Forget it? How could you do that? Forgetting isn't the same as forgiving."

I glare at her. "You're right. But you know something?" She gives me a puzzled look. "I'm incapable of forgiving. Forgetting is the closest I can come."

... .. ... ... .. ... ... ... ... .. .. .. . . ... ... .. .. . . ... ... ... .. . ... ..

"Hey. I'm sorry."

I look up in surprise. "You're what?"

My clone looks down at me as I sit eating lunch. "I'm not repeating that."

I laugh. "You're so much like me."

He raises an eyebrow. "I wonder why." He motions to the empty seat next to me. "Mind if I sit here?"

"Sure." I say nonchalantly. "Whatever."

The other Nico lowers himself down onto the damaged wooden bench. A steak appears on his plate along with bacon, sausage, and a chocolate bar. I cough up the bite of pear I was just chewing and incredulously spit out, "Okay. I take that back. Maybe we're not so much alike."

My clone glances up at me, puzzlement elongating the features of his face. "What? Why?"

"I'm vegetarian." I respond. "No meat. At all."

"Oh." He says, glancing down at his plate. "Yeah." He pauses a moment before continuing. "You know, it's gonna get pretty confusing around here with two identical Nicos.

I raise an eyebrow. "Yeah? Well, I'm the original. Not my problem."

My clone nods. "Yeah. I know. That's why I'm going to start going by Nick. And, also, I've got a little surprise for this afternoon. I'll show you then, okay?"

"Okay." I say. "Well, I'm off to go see if I can find Mrs. O'Leary. See ya."

Nick nods. "Kay. See ya."

I walk away, soon finding a shadow and jumping into it to try and find my old friend.


	13. Chapter 12

"No. No... No!" I sob, staring down at the heaped-up pile of dirt in front of me. "NO!" I turn back to Percy and stare at him, speechless, tears slipping out of my burning eyes.

"Nico, I..." Percy looks pale and helpless. "I'm so sorry."

I squeeze my eyes shut and lock my jaw, my teeth grinding together in en effort to hold back my sobs. I swallow a lump of mucus that's made its way down my throat and bite my lip. This can't be real. It can't be, it just can't.

I open my mouth and attempt to speak, but find that my voice has escaped me. My tongue feels thick and swollen, and my face itches from the saltwater streaming down my cheeks. Walking over to the mound, I wordlessly lay a hand on it, feeling the presence of bones just inches from my fingertips. I heave out another soundless sob and sink to the ground. A moment later, Percy is by my side again.

"She's in a better place, now." He says, laying a hand on my shoulder. "She was in a lot of pain, Nico. You have to understand that."

A surge of anger rises up in me. "You think I don't!? Where have I been for the last eighteen years, Percy? In HELL!" I punch the ground. "Even if she's with my father, she's not in a better place!" I know that I'm getting hysterical and that I'm screaming, but I don't care anymore. "She shouldn't have died! I thought that even though nobody else I ever knew or cared about would still be the same, but no! No, all of my old friends are older, and I don't know anyone my own age! It was my own damn fault, too, and that's what makes it even worse." I stand up abruptly. "I need to be alone."

"Nico," Percy rises to his feet.

I don't reply, but instead just walk away, the anger and sadness inside of me weighing me down like the weight of the world.

... .. . .. ... .. .. .. . .. .. ... .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . ... .. .. . ... .. .. .. . .. ... ... . ... . .. .. ... .. .. . . ...

I stare at the empty plate in front of me, wanting to eat, but not able to. My stomach is still to knotted up to eat, even though I'm starting to get dizzy from hunger. I haven't eaten in nearly three days, since I saw Mrs. O'leary's grave. I still can't believe that she's dead. I thought that nothing could kill her.

I had been wrong.

I let out a sigh and wish for water, then pour the clear liquid from my cup onto my plate and swish it around with my spoon listlessly. I drink a little of the water, but can't stomach anything else. Even just a little liquid makes me feel queasy, almost like I'm going to vomit. After a moment, I get up and walk out of the pavilion, not knowing where to go or what to do.

Scuffing the dirt with one of my shoes, I stand in a patch if shadow under a thick oak tree. Letters and names are scratched into the bark, surrounded by hearts. I run my fingers along one of them: L+P forever. It's in cursive, and the engraving is surrounded by a crudely drawn heart. I move my hand along to another one and suddenly sit up. It says "D+S", and is scratched deep into the bark. It's letters are blocky, and it looks just like any other carving, but I recognize it: It's the carving I made for Will and I a week or so before he asked me out. It had a "D" for DiAngelo and a "S" for Solace.

I blink at it. The carving looks old, so very old, but there is no moss or bark growing over it - almost as if it's been cared for and kept in shape. But the only person I can think of who would have done that would be Will.

And Will knows me. He may be older than me, and he may have changed, but he's still my friend. I know that he'll be able to help me get through this, the pain of losing Mrs. O'leary.

I clamber to my feet and head over to his cabin.

... ... ... .. .. . ... .. .. . . .. .. . .. .. . ... .. .. . ... .. .. . . . . . ... ... ... ... ... . . . . ... .. .. . . . .. . ...

"Well," Will says, "What Percy said was true. She was in a lot of pain when she died."

"How? How did it happen?" I ask, my eyes brimming with tears again.

"Well, we were playing capture the flag, the visitors from Camp Jupiter against our 'home team'. It was just a normal game until Camp Jupiter won. Then, as we started to congratulate each other, one of the Pegasi went crazy. It started rearing and kicking, running around in a rampage, and then taking into flight and landing again. Nobody knew how to control it." Will gulps. "And... And..."

"And what?" I ask, picking at the grass beside me while tapping my foot on the ground.

"It began to morph. It turned into some sort of beast, one I'd never seen before, and it started whipping around, sinking its teeth into trees and roofs, smashing things under its feet. Carrie and Jess got stepped on, and Rheoda almost got eaten alive by the thing as it bit everything in its line of sight. We had almost got it under control when, out of nowhere, Mrs. O'leary came bounding in. The beast bit her neck. We tried to save her, but we weren't in time. She bled out and we couldn't stop it."

I close my eyes and let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. "How long ago was it?"

"Last fall." Will replies. "I'm sorry. But things around here just keep getting weirder and weirder. It all started when you were gone. People started just randomly getting hurt, and a few people nearly died. Tasks that normally weren't dangerous started becoming so, and the nymphs and animals started to act strange. Nobody was able to figure out why what happened did happen. Not even Annabeth."

I think back to the day of the battle with the giants, the battle in which Gaia had been killed. "I think I might know why." I say, and start to explain.


	14. Chapter 13

_Sorry about this guys! I took the last section of the last chapter and put it in this one, because it made more sense that way. I deleted that section from the last chapter, and I did edit it, so it's a little different. The last part is completely new, though! :3 _

_Also, I really like it when I get feedback on my writing, because then I'm able to make my stories even better. Don't be afraid to comment!_

_So, with that, ENJOY!_

. . ... ... .. .. . ... . .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . ... ... .. .. ... .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . ... . .. .. . ... .. .. . . . ... ... .. ... ... .. .

The tiny Meeting Shed is cramped with people as Grover nervously says, "You mean... She could rise again?" He lets out a panicked bleat. "Oh, no. Not good. At all."

I nod. "Yeah. Gaia was killed in the air, but the air isn't land. It's not substantial. So, her ashes floated to the ground, meaning that she could re-form. It must have just taken a while for her to gain back her full power, and that's why the weirdness started out small and just got worse and worse."

Percy nods. "It makes sense. But I gotta say, it's definitely not good news." He brushes his bangs off of his forehead with his fingers. "How can we get rid of her? Jeez, it's like trying to get rid of bedbugs. You kill 'em off and they just come right back as if nothing happened."

Annabeth lets out a frustrated sigh. "Well, I don't know. Maybe we could gather up Gaia's ashes and keep them in a jar, or maybe we could find them and ship them off into space?"

I shake my head. "Even if you could find them, she's already gained back enough power that she would be able to re-form even without all of her ashes."

Grover lets out another frustrated, nervous bleat as Will chimes in, "Well, we'll have to do something, won't we?"

Rachel suggests, "We could just try to fight her again."

Annabeth laughs. "Try that again? No thanks." She shakes her head. "Plus, think of all the horrors she'd do! Last time, she gained the support of demons and caused more chaos than I'd ever seen before. I mean-"

Suddenly, she's cut off as Rachel thrusts her way into the middle of the group. Everyone goes silent. Her eyes glaze over and a green mist starts to spill from her mouth. It spreads through the room slowly as an ominous voice fills the room, coming from Rachel as she stands frozen, her expression slack and her mouth not moving.

_"One among you is not like the others,  
__and yet it shall be he who saves the last one lost..."  
_The rough, crackly, wistful voice of the Oracle says.  
_"One among you must lay the path,  
so that the lost can come back without cost...  
There shall be five others to help the one,  
the one who will fight off the forthcoming gall...  
Yet at the end of his journey, if he is not careful,  
he and the lost could meet their fall...  
The lost are needed to stop the coming angry storm,  
and if they don't stop it, all will be lost...  
The six will add two to their numbers and grow,  
and those two will help to right all wrongs..."_

Elizabeth stands frozen for a moment before the green mist flows back into her, as if she's a vacuum. Her eyes light back up and she takes a staggering step backwards, then she catches her balance and stands up straight. "What happened?" She asked, seeing everyone's shocked and dazed expressions.

Nobody responds, but slowly, one by one, everyone turns their heads to stare at me.

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It's still silent as I start to stutter, "This, aha... No, th-this this c-can't be right. I mean tza-tzi, I just came back, guys, I, uh" I laugh nervously, unable to control my voice. "Ike, Ike I can't go on - on a quest. I... I- I just got back, I mean, I mean, uh, I-I-I... I can't..." I trail off as the others stare at me in silence.

Nobody moves for a full minute before Will says, "We might want to... to notify Philomena and Ivan."

Grover nods hesitantly. "I'll go get them." He walks out the door hurriedly, glancing over his shoulder at me.

It's silent for a moment before the noise erupts in the cramped room.

"One prophecy less than a week after another!" Percy says. "It's important that we take this into account. Though I think that it's fully possible that it's Nico who is the one mentioned in the prophecy, we don't know for sure that-"

Annabeth interrupts, "No. It can't be Nico. The last prophecy was about him!"

Percy parries Annabeth's reasoning. "It could be about him, but I highly doubt-" He's interrupted by Will.

"It is about Nico. Who else could it be about?"

Grover barges back into the room, followed by a very short girl with ivory-colored hair and impossibly purple eyes. Behind her is a tall, geeky teenager with shaggy, unkempt hair and black geek glasses. On first sight, I think, _Oh my god, he's hot_.

"Got 'em." Grover says as the 'discussion' continues.

After a moment of intense noise caused by raised voices, Philomena shouts, "Shut up! You're driving me crazy, all of you!"

Everyone else continues on like they can't hear her. I pick out bits of sentences as everyone's voices clash over one another.

"- Can't be right-"

"...Not it."

"No, you've got it all wrong! He is-"

"I fully believe that..."

"Maybe-"

"- Accept it, people-"

"- The Gods wouldn't approve..."

"... How do we know for sure?"

"No, I'm saying-"

"... Not now..."

"After everything that's-"

I clear my throat loudly and the shouting skids to a halt. The four counselors, Will, and Grover turn towards me. I start, "I don't really know what you're arguing about at this point, because I_ can't hear anyone_," I glare at the faces in front of me, sweeping my gaze around the room before continuing. "But instead of arguing, shouldn't you be having a meeting with the Cabin Leaders?" Annoyance thickly laces my voice, and the others obviously notice.

Percy and Philomena exchange a meaningful glance as Ivan speaks up.

"Okay, let's go to the Big House. Annabeth, Philomena, grab the Cabin Leaders. Nico, be at the Big house in ten minutes. Bring Nick with you. All the rest of you, come." He stoops to step out the door and starts off in the direction of the Big House with everyone but Will trailing behind him, and I'm left to my own devices.

.. ... .. . .. .. . . . . ... ... .. ... .. ... .. ... ... ... ... .. . ... .. ... .. .. . . . . ... .. ... ... ... ... ... .. ... ... ... ..

When I enter the cabin, the only occupant is a pale-skinned boy lying on a bed, asleep, in a bright blue t-shirt that's smeared with mud. His hair is bright red, streaked through with a bit of black here and there. His arms are covered in swirling black lines, and two nose piercings have been inserted into his left nostril. Since nobody else is around, I decide to ask him if he's seen Nick.

He wakes with a start when I tap him on the shoulder. "Yeah?" His voice sounds familiar, but I don't think I've met him. His eyes are dark green, like the color of a Pine tree's leaves.

"Hey," I say. "Do you have any idea where Nick - Nico - is? I expected him to be here."

The boy laughs. "You were right. He is here."

"Oh," I say. "Um, where?"

"You're looking at him." The boy says with a devilish grin.

I step back in surprise. "_Nick?!_"

"Yup! So, whatd'ya think?" He stands up and turns in a slow circle.

"Um, nice." I say. "When did you get all of that done?"

"Tuesday." Nick replies. "I was gonna show you on Wednesday, but you weren't around. Where were you?"

"Oh," I bite my lip, feeling my face grow red. "About that. I said I'd go look for Mrs. O'leary. I kind of... found her... bones." My eyes start to water, and I tell myself, _Don't cry, don't cry, you idiot_, before continuing. "She apparently died only a little while ago."

"Wait, hold up." Nick says. "Was Mrs. O'leary that big black dog that just randomly showed up in camp from time to time?"

I nod silently, and Nick continues. "I'm sorry, dude. I... Didn't know." He claps me on the shoulder. I open my mouth to speak, but then close it without saying anything.

After a moment, I check my watch. It reads 9:46. I need to be at the Big House in less than 5 minutes. I open my mouth again, but this time say, "We need to meet the Camp Counselors in four minutes."

Nick nods and grabs a black t-shirt changing quickly. When he's ready to go, I open the cabin door and we sprint down the hills to the White House, where somebody's fate will be decided.


	15. Chapter 14

_Perspective change! I've decided to start splitting the story up between a few characters. I'll of course indicate who's viewpoint a chapter or section of a chapter is, just to try and make it less confusing. So, here we go! #Excited!_

_.. ... ... .. . . ... ... ... ... ... . .. ... .. ... ... ... ... ... . . .. .. ... . ... . ... .. ... ... ... .. .. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ._

_**Nick**_

Nico and I arrive at the Big House breathless and flushed. He's somehow a faster runner than I am, so on the way he stopped and waited for me a few times. His face is just a pinkish color, and he's breathing just a tad bit faster than normal, but I myself can barely gasp each breath, and I'm sure that my face is bright red. It doesn't help that my skin is so pale and shows color so easily.

Nico leads the way into the Big House and I traipse inside behind him, glancing around at the decorations of the entry hall. We walk down a hallway and I reach out to touch the cracking, crumbling paint on the walls. I've been at Camp for years, but I've only ever seen the interior of the Big House once.

Nico, on the other hand, walks down each hallway, taking the twists and turns as if he knows this place by heart. He probably does. Even though I myself have never been a very important or high ranking Camp member, Nico was, and probably will be again soon.

Abruptly, Nico stops in front of a wooden door and raps on it a few times. It opens to reveal the Camp Counselors and Chiron sitting at a pool table with boxes of Ritz crackers and spray cans of Cheese Whip. A disembodied horse head is stuck on the wall, and as I watch, It moves to look straight at me. I jump back in surprise and blink, sure that my eyes were tricking me, but again I see the head move. It must be magical or something.

As we enter the room, I look around at everyone, and they stare back at me with a mixture of confusion and surprise. "Who is he, Nico?" Ivan, one of our Camp Counselors, asks accusingly. For a moment, I'm confused, and then I remember: Not many people have seen me over the last few days, and I did go through quite a transformation. I just couldn't stand being a look-alike anymore. People kept thinking that I was Nico. I have no idea how the Sharp twins deal with being so identical.

"It's Nick. He got all of... This," He motions to my hair and tattoos, "done on Tuesday."

"Nick? You mean the _original_ Nico?" Philomena asks.

Nico nods. "Well, yeah. He's going by Nick now, or at least, that's what he told me."

"Word hasn't really gotten out yet," I bob my head a few times, "but yeah."

"Ok." Percy says, while Annabeth says, "Niiice."

I shrug my shoulders and the meeting continues on.

"Well," Grover lets out a breath. "Looks like we're gonna have another Quest, aren't we." It's a statement rather than a question.

Around the circle, heads nod. Silence ensues, and I lick my lips. "Well. Um. Who's gonna go on it?" I ask at last. Everyone turns to look at me.

"Well, obviously, Nico." Annabeth says. "The prophecy is _about him_."

I raise my eyebrows. "Yeah, but who _else_?"

"Well, I'll be leading the quest, so I'll get to pick." Nico says. "How many people should come with me?"

Murmurs scurry around the room. For a few minutes, nobody speaks up loud enough to really be heard, and then Grover says, "The normal number. The leader of the quest and four others."

"Okay." Nico says. "Well, let's go choose then."

. . ... .. .. ... ... ... ... ... . . .. . ... ... . .. .. .. ... . ... . . ... ... . . . .. ... .. . ... . . ... ... . ... ...

"I guess..." Nico looks around at the gathered crowd and bites his bottom lip. "Um."

I stare at Nico from within the crowd. People of all different heights, ages, and races surround me, their faces showing different emotions. Some are pinched with nervousness, other slack with dread, and some lit with excitement. I myself am hopeful. I've never been on a quest, and I really hope that I'll get picked.

Nico scans the semi-circle again, his face contorted in a mask of concentration. "Piper." He says finally. "Jason," he hesitates a bit before saying another name. "Nick."

I step out of the crowd like Piper and Jason, blood pounding in my ears. I let out an excited breath and bounce on the balls of my feet. He still has to say one name, and yet he seems to be done speaking. After another few moments, he mumbles something inaudibly. "What?" Somebody says, and Nico repeats his words a little louder.

"I don't know who else to pick."

"Any volunteers?" Ivan asks, stepping up to Nico and laying a hand on his shoulder. "Anyone?"

A small voice rises from just behind me. "I'll go."

I turn around to see a little girl standing behind me. Her long brown hair is tied up in a tight bun and her stormy blue-green eyes shine with a startling intensity. She's no older than eight or nine, and is fairly short. Across her back, a customized blue bow hangs. Beside it is a quiver of pink arrows. "I'll do it." She says, stepping forward. I move out of the way to let her pass.

Laughs run rampant through the crowd as she emerges to the front beside me, and the little girl glares around fiercely. The laughs don't stop, and even Nico is struggling to hold back a smile. "What?!" The girl says. "You think it's funny, do you?"

The laughing continues, along with some jeers and harsh comments.

"You think you're able?"

"You're to young!"

"Go home, girl!"

"Like you could do anything helpful."

Suddenly, fed up, the girl whips her bow off of her back and notches an arrow. She aims it at the archery area, holding the arrow at an angle with its tip high in the air. Without a pause she lets the arrow fly, and it zips away into the distance. After a few seconds, a soft _thunk_ is heard in the distance. The laughter diminishes somewhat, but the jeers continue.

Then, without warning, the girl zips away, running at top speed, faster than I've ever seen any human run. In seconds she is back, holding an archery target.

In its center there is a pink arrow, still quivering.

Silence settles over the crowd as people blink, stunned.

"Ho-how did you d-do that?" I ask in awe. "How the Hell did you do that?"

The girl turns towards me. "I'm the daughter of Nike."

I see Nico blanch in front of me, and then he asks, "What's your name?"

"Jeannie," The girl replies. "Jeannie Jackson."

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**_Nico_**

I blink in surprise. I thought Percy was married to Annabeth. I swallow, then say, "You're coming on the Quest, Jeannie."

Jeannie just smiles and lets out a little _hmph_.

I look over at Nick, and Ivan steps up beside me. "You will be leaving at sunset. Gather the others and get your things together." I nod in response and he stalks off. I walk over to the others and convey the message, then pull Jeannie aside.

"I thought that your mother was Annabeth. How could you be the daughter of Nike?"

"I was adopted." Jeannie says simply. "I didn't know I was a demigod until I stepped into camp and was claimed. But I've never met Nike. So as far as I'm concerned, Annabeth is my mom." She pauses for a moment. "Jeez, it's weird to say her actual name." Then she looks away, says a casual, 'bye', and walks away without another word.

... ... ... .. ... ... . .. ... .. ... . ... ... ... ... ... . ... .. .. ... ... ... ... .. ... ... ... . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. ...

_So, did you like the different perspective? I did! I gotta say, it was really fun to write from Nick's POV. Maybe I'll change some of the chapters so he's the one who's talking. _

_Either way, that's it for now! As always, thanks for reading!_


	16. Chapter 15

_Wow, sorry about the huge wait, guys. I haven't been on for a long time - you know, life just got a bit overwhelming and all. I was still in middle school up until last month, and for some reason, over the last 3~ish weeks, my teachers were just like, "Hey, let's make our students miserable and bog them down with a ton of homework in celebration of the end of the year!"_

_Yeah._

_But hey! School's out now for a few more weeks, and I don't have a whole ton of events coming up. ~~~ So, here's the next chapter! Enjoy ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-_

**Nico**

I'm on my knees shoving clothing into a bag when the door opens. I crane my neck around to see Nick walk in, head down and shoulders hunched.

"Dude!" I shout. "You should have been in here at least half an hour ago! We're leaving soon!"

"I know, I know," he sighs. "I just..." He hesitates. "Never mind."

"You just what?" I ask, confused.

"I... I just wanted to say goodbye to... Um..." He sighs, giving up on the lie. "I asked Will to come. He said-"

I cut him off abruptly, screaming. "You WHAT?! No! No, no, no! I'm not going to have him coming!"

"Wh-why not?" Nick asks, "Isn't - didn't he used to be your boyfriend?"

"Well, yeah! That's the reason I don't want him to come! He could get hurt, he could die, he could end up being lost forever, and I don't want to have to deal with-"

Nick steps over to me quickly and shoves a hand over my mouth. "He said he'd come."

I'm shocked into silence. He said yes? He should have taken the hint when I didn't choose him! I clench my teeth together and shove Nick's hand from my face, rising to my feet. "Nick?" I ask.

He gives me a quizzical look and asks, "Yes?"

"If you don't get out of this room in ten seconds, I will kill you."

He takes the hint and makes a run for it as I stand facing the door, my hands curled into shaking fists at my sides as I try to control my anger.

**Nick**

I grab my Quest pack from the cellar under the Hades Cabin as soon as I'm outside and dash towards the entrance gate, glad that I'd though a few months ago to prepare a bag for an occasion such as this, assuming one would arrive sooner or later.

When I get there, I see Will pacing back and forth, his lanky frame dominating the scene in front of me. He glances up at my approach, nodding in my direction, "Nick."

"Hey," I respond. "How long until we leave?"

"Ten minutes or so, probably." His gaze swivels to the west, watching as Piper appears in the distance, riding on Jason's shoulders. He sighs softly, a sad little sigh of defeat, and I cock my head.

"What's wrong?"

He visibly jumps, and turns back to me. "Um, nothing." He bluffs, biting his lip.

"Tell me."

"No."

"_Tell me_," I insist, glaring at him.

"FINE." His exasperated expression doesn't match the sad tone of his voice. "I was just thinking of how it might have been with Nico and myself, if things had gone my way. If he hadn't died."

"Oh." I say. What brought this up? I turn to look back at Piper and Jason, still in the distance. By this point, Jason's set Piper down and they're playfully bumping into each other. While watching, it hits me. "Wait, so... You're, what, jealous of Jason and Piper? And Percy and Annabeth and all your old friends who're now couples?"

Will grimaces. "Yeah."

"Oh." I say again, then mention "You could still try to make it work, you know. Even if you're so much older than him now... You're perfect together."

"Please," Will snorts. "I'm old enough to be his dad."

"His dad is thousands of millennium old." I laugh. "You're only in your mid-thirties."

"Yeah. I'm still old enough to be his dad. I mean, some people have kids at, like, fifteen and sixteen. I'm almost eighteen years older than him."

"You do have a point, I guess." I mumble.

"You guess. Hah."

Jason and Piper arrive just as he turns back away from me.

"Hey jerk," Piper says to Will, her short height looking almost comical next to Will.

Will makes a strange, strangled-sounding note of greeting and paces away, and I'm left talking awkwardly to Jason until Nico arrives.

... .. .. . . ... ... .. . ... ... . .. .. .. ... . . ... ... ... ... ... .. .. .. ... . .. . . ... .. .. .. ... . .

**Will**

I rise to my feet as Nico approaches, walking over to the rest of the group. Nico counts heads, glowering at me, and then we're off. For the next three hours, I try to figure out why Nico is so pissed that he won't talk to me, all the while pretending to listen to Jeannie ramble on about soccer and how she's so great at it.

When it's close to midnight, we stop to set up camp for the night, and for the first time in hours, Nico talks to me. "Here's your tent." He hands me a bag, his actions implying just as much bitterness as his voice.

"Thanks." I try to make my own voice sound bitter, as well, but don't do a very good job of it. Nico turns to walk away, but I grab his shoulder, spinning him back to face me. "Hey. I don't know what's up your ass right now, but would you please tell me what's going on?"

He glares at me, his entire face expressing dower annoyance. "You came."

"On the Quest?" I ask. "Of course I came! Why wouldn't I, when I'm invited to?"

"Because I didn't pick you to come! Because I didn't want you to come!" Nico explodes.

"Wh-what?! But I just wanted to make sure that you don't get hurt!"

"I wanted to make sure _you_ didn't get hurt! And by staying in camp, you'd be away from the danger!"

"Yes, but Nico," I explain, trying to sound reasonable, "You were just going to go headfirst into who knows what kind of situations! People get killed on Quests, and I couldn't risk you getting killed!"

"What if you get hurt?"

"Then I get hurt! It doesn't matter to me if I get hurt, Nico. It matters to me that you _don't_. And I swear to the gods, I will do everything in my power to make sure you don't get hurt, even if it costs me my own life."

Nico doesn't reply immediately. When he does, his voice is softer, sweeter, and not as anger-stricken. "I didn't know you felt that way."

"Of course I do, Neeks." I say. "I always did and always will... Even if, at this point, we'll never work."

"Maybe I can change that." Nico smiles and grabs my hand. "Now let's set up that tent of ours, shall we?"


	17. Chapter 16

**Nico**

I crawl into the tent just moments before Will does, and start to roll out my sleeping bag. Beside me, Will drags his backpack in and unzips it, ruffling through its contents until he finds his own camping gear. By the time I've got all of my things set up, he's lounging on his own makeshift bed reading a book.

I start getting ready for bed, stepping outside the tent to brush my teeth. I climb back into the tent and start to strip off my sweaty clothing, then pause when I notice Will staring at me.

"What?" I ask, suddenly self-conscious.

Will's mouth bends up slightly in a smirk. "That's sexy."

Blushing profusely, I turn away.

"What?" Will asks. "Are you embarrassed?" I can hear the laugh in his voice.

"You just have no idea how weird it is for a guy in his mid thirties to say that to a teenager." I respond, tugging my foot out of the leg of my skinny jeans.

"Oh, yes, I do." He says, suddenly serious. "I know exactly how twisted it must seem. But in all honesty, I can't help it. Being around you makes me feel like I'm 18 again myself. It makes me feel like... Like I'm still your age. Like I'm still your boyfriend."

I smile sadly, yet slightly humorously. "Oh, how anxt-ridden and horrifying this delicate tale seems to be."

"Yeah." Will says, mirroring my emotions. "I know."

We sit silently for a moment before he continues, "I still love you, you know, even though I shouldn't. I never got over you, and never will, even though you hurt me so much, even though we're eighteen years apart now."

I let that soak in for a moment. "You... You do?" I eventually reply, much happier than I should be.

"It's as true as true can get. I love you, and I know it's insane to. Even though I know you're probably freaked out by it."

Well. I guess he hadn't noticed me kissing him back when we were by the gazebo. Or maybe he'd misinterpreted it. I smile anyways, and then assure him, "I love you, too, Will."

His answering shocked expression is cut short as I suddenly, upon impulse, grab the back of his head and kiss him.

**Will**

Nico's lips are suddenly mashed up against mine, dissolving my surprise and turning it into passion. I kiss him back, moving closer to him. For a second, I pull away to grab a breath of air, and push Nico down so that he's lying on his back. I kiss him again, climbing on top of him and rolling over so that I'm the one on the bottom.

I can feel Nico's mouth pull upwards as he smiles, and take the chance to run my tongue along the bottom of his lip. He opens his mouth in answer to my unspoken question and I poke my tongue in a bit, exploring his mouth. We break apart for air, and then the action is repeated, with Nico doing the exploring.

He tastes like toothpaste, but I couldn't care less as he pulls back a bit and moves his mouth to my shoulder, where he bites gently. I bend my head to the side, exposing the side of my neck. Nico's bites become increasingly stronger and more painful as he nears the hollow of my collar bone, and I moan. Suddenly, the biting stops, and he's making a trail of kisses up to my jaw.

I sigh and put my hands on his waist, trailing them up his sides and sliding my hands under the fabric of his shirt. His skin is hot to the touch, but he shivers, hopefully with pleasure, as I trail my hands over his shoulder blades. Suddenly, I'm yanking his shirt off. His pale skin is even paler when there's such limited light, and he looks insubstantial, almost ghost-like as he runs his fingers through my hair and once again pushes his mouth up against mine, more gently this time. Inhaling, I find that his scent is completely surrounding me, a heavenly mixture of soap, honey, and sweat.

I moan and roll over again so that I'm on top of him, and Nico lifts his hands to my shoulders and trail them down until they're resting on my waist. They, his hands explore further down, and he pulls me down on top of him. I smile as his breathing quickens and his breaths become more strained, and then his hands are on me again, and we roll onto our sides. He shoves his hands between us, trying to undo the button on my jeans.

Stiffening, I pull away. "No, Nico."

His begging expression nearly wears though my self control, but I hold onto it, knowing that it isn't right for us to do this. "No."

"Why?" Nico asks. Then, suddenly suspicious, he asks, "Is this because you're seeing someone else? Have you done it before, with someone else?"

"No, Nico!" I say. "I've never done it, and trust me, I want to do it with you. Really, really badly, but-"

"Then why won't you?"

"Because, it's not... I... You're eighteen, and I'm nearly middle-aged! Doesn't that disturb you?"

Nico doesn't hesitate before responding, "No."

"Really?"

"Yes." Nico insists. "I would be your age at this point. In fact, mentally, I am. I'm just not physically your age."

"Well," I almost laugh, "there is that."

"So why not?" Nico begs.

I sigh. "Because, Nico. It feels... Morally wrong to do this. Unless magic happens, I'm always going to be eighteen years older than you. Even though it won't seem like such an age difference when we're older, it's currently a huge gap. I'm twice your age. I'm old enough that I could potentially be your father. I'm not going to have sex with you. Not right now."

Nico purses his lips, looking down. "I understand. I see how it is." The despair is evident in his voice.

"I'm sorry, Neeks. I can't though. I won't."

He nods. I move away to put my sleeping bag back where it's supposed to be, and Nico does the same. A few minutes later, he says, "Well, Magic happened once. It brought me back... It might happen again."

"I hope it does." I say, closing my eyes. "Goodnight, Nico." I whisper, turning out my reading lamp.

"Goodnight, Will," the response comes out of the darkness.


	18. Chapter 17

**Nick**

I wake up to the sound of crackling, most likely from bags of junk food and cereal boxes. I unzip the flap of my tent and step out into the weak morning light to see Jeannie and Piper preparing mortal food.

"Hey, bud." Piper says as I approach.

"Hey." I respond. "What's for breakfast?"

"Cornflakes and re-hydrated milk. And cheap chocolate. And Gatorade."

"I miss camp already!" I joke, thinking of my usual breakfast: Pancakes or waffles with pomegranate syrup with an iced mocha on the side.

"Yeah." Jeannie pipes up, cracking half a smile. "Deal with it, 'bud'."

"Huh," I laugh as Jason appears behind Piper, picking her up in his vice-like grip.

"Hey!" She squeals. "Put me down, you lumbering oaf!"

A smile slides into place on Jason's face. "Okay, okay." He chuckles and obliges. Once Piper's safely back on the ground, she whips around and playfully punches him in the arm. A small scuffle ensues, and then Nico and Will appear from their tent, falling into place beside me.

"'Sup?" I ask, looking at my - clone? brother? - a bit cautiously. I heard random moaning last night from their tent - my tent was right next door - and, considering their former relationship, I think I know what may have been happening, unless Nico was having nightmares again, which I doubt.

"Not much." It's Will who replies, his voice shaking ever so slightly. "I'm kinda tired, though."

"Mmhm." I respond, thinking to myself,_ speculation_ _confirmed_? as Nico nods in agreement and yawns. I make a mental note to ask him about that later.

I turn my gaze upon Will. I guess I can see why Nico likes him so much, I mean, he's very handsome, and his voice is... alluring. He's kind, too, but I myself don't know him well. He's not my type, though, and probably never would have been, even if we were the same age. Plus, I like redheads. That's why I like Brendan - I haven't told anyone, though. I hope to get a job at the infirmary soon, though, so that I can work with him and see him more often.

I turn my attention back to the girls. "You said something about chocolate?"

"Yeah." Jeannie says, making a face. "Very cheap chocolate from more than six years ago."

I shrug. "I'll take it anyways. Chocolate is chocolate."

"Whatever," Jeannie laughs, throwing me a bar. "I warned you."

Peeling the wrapper open, I stuff the chocolate into my mouth, realizing how bad it tastes a second late and gagging on the taste. "Oh Gods!" This earns me many a sidelong glance from Nico and a laugh from Jeannie. I grab a Gatorade from off the table and chug it, washing away the rancid taste. "Ew."

As the others speculate whether we should just go get a car and try staying at hotels and eating decent food instead of questing the conventional way (we by far have enough money to), I drain the rest of my Gatorade, wondering what would come next. I've never been on a quest, and I don't really know anything about them other than what my friends and other campers have said. Apparently, monsters are a problem, as are other demigods. And sometimes even Gods themselves.

After about five minutes, Nico calls out, "Okay, everyone. Pack up! We're leaving in ten."

I walk over to my tent and grab my pack out of it, then roll up my sleeping bag and stuff it into my backpack. I take apart the tent last, shoving the rods into a side pocket in my backpack and then attempting to find enough space for the tent itself. Once I'm done, I meet everyone else in the middle of the clearing and we set off.

**Piper**

"Seriously? But I have my driver's license right here!" Jason says once we've arrived at the car dealership.

"It isn't valid." The woman behind the desk replies. "I'm sorry, but it expired two years ago."

"Well, then, here. Try mine." I say, handing over my license.

She examines it and gives a nod. "You do realize that yours expires soon, though?"

"Of course," I say. "I'll get that checked out soon."

"Good."

I spend the next hour filling out forms and sheets of information about myself, lying about half of it, and then I hand over my credit card and the deal's done. The lady leads us to the car - a huge van that can fit eleven - and we file in. I take the driver's seat and instruct everyone to buckle up, and then we're off, driving down a road that connects to the highway.

**Nico**

During the car ride, I'm stuck with Nick and Jeannie sitting on either side of me, with Jeannie bugging me constantly about random things, and Nick pestering me about my love life.

"Dude," I finally say, fed up, "get a life, jeez. Quit asking so many questions. Don't you have someone yourself?"

"No." Nick says, surprising me.

"Well, either way, my secrets are not your business."

Nick lets out a little _hmmph_ and turns to stare out the window as Jeannie rattles on. After a moment, he says. "I guess when you came into play, I was out of the closet, but before you came here, nobody knew. Or, at least, let on that they knew."

I'm silent as he continues. "There's this guy that I like, though. His name's Brendan, and he works at the infirmary. I've not had the courage to say anything to him yet. I guess you can call me a wimp." He laughs quietly to himself. "He's almost certainly straight, in all honesty. He used to have a girlfriend, Whisp Waterwalker. She works at the infirmary, too. Surprise."

"I met her. At the infirmary, after you'd punched me." I say. "She's a character."

"Yeah, she is." Nick says. "I'm jealous of her. For many reasons."

I don't ask him what they are, and he doesn't explain. Until we stop again, an uncomfortable silence settles over our row of seats, broken only by Jeannie's blabbering as she talks to herself.


End file.
